potter



(No Model.)

M. POTTER.

BRAKE BLOCK. No. 371,624. Patented Oct. 1?, 1887.

N. PETERS, Pnawumngn her. Washinglon. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORGAN POTTER, OF FISHKILLON-HUDSON, NEW YORK.

BRAKE-BLOCK.

$PECIPICA'I'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371.624. dated October 18, 1887.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, MoRGAN POTTER, of Fishkill-on-Hudson, county of Dutchess, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake-Blocks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has relation to brake-blocks, such as are employed in connection with wagonwheels; but obviously my improved device may be applied in other situations for analogous purposes.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, compact, durable, cheap, and efficient brakeblock, which will carry the shoe evenly and firmly againstthe wheeLtwhen in braking position), which will automatically free it entirely from contact with the wheel when the braking force is released, requiring a very short sweep of the brake-lever to bring it back to working position, which will admit of the easy removal of the shoe for renewal and obviate danger of accidental displacement, and which will embody other advantages in the matter of construction and operation, as will hereinafter appear.

In the ordinary roller-lever brakes, when the brake-block is moved away from the wheel the top naturally inclines toward the wheel, necessitating a considerable sweep of the lever in order to insure the sufiicient movement of the block to carry it away from the wheel, and of course a corresponding sweep to bring it back again into its working position. Again, the ordinary brake-block, being rigid on the shaft or roller, bears evenly against the wheel only when the vehicle is evenly loaded,or when the body of the vehicle is hearing evenly upon the springs, any rolling or tipping of the body on either end or side rendering it impossible for such brake-block to preserve an evenbearing upon the wheel.

To obviate these disadvantages, and to accomplish the object above set forth, my improvements involve certain new and useful peculiarities of construction and relative arrangements or combinations of parts, all of which will be herein first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation showing the face of the shell farthestfrom the wheel, the block being mounted upon a bent shaft which may be replaced by any equivalent shaft for moving it toward or from the wheel. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, the dotted lines indicating the position which the block assumes when forced into working position and the full lines the position to which it returns when freed from contact wi h the wheel. Fig. 3 is a vertical section and elevation; Fig. 4, a side elevation showing the detents or stops operatingin conjunction with a projection on the shaft. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are respectively cross-sections through llnes x m, y and z z of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a plan of the inner face of the coveringplate, showing the spring secured thereon.

In all these figures like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding arts. p A represents a shaft on which the block is mounted, and by which it is carried toward or from the wheel of the vehicle.

B is the shell of the brake-block. \Vithin this shell is a spring, 0, one end of which is fast with respect to the shell and the other end made to bear upon or againstthe shaft, which is provided with any suitable ledge or notch, as indicated at a. that it will prevent the top of the block from leaning backward or toward the wheel, and by its elasticity will permit the block to adjust itself to the contour of the wheel whenever broughtin contact therewith, even though the vehicle be unevenly loaded. To cover the spring and the-interior of the shell, and to exclude dirt, water, 850., therefrom, Iemploy a cover, as D, which may be secured in any desirable way, as by removable bolts (repre- The spring is so arranged.

seated at b 11) passing through the cover and The walls of the shell on each margin project beyond the cover, 'as at d d, and these projectionsinclineoutwardlyfrom each other slightly from bottom to top of'the block and toward each other from the sides and receive the brakeshoe between them.

The brake-shoe E is preferably dovetailed in'its seat. It is made either of wood or iron, or other suitable material, and may be easily detached at any time by driving it upward and another shoe substituted for it. The shoe so arranged is not liable to accidental displacement, the ordinary use thereof tending to force it more and more tightly to its seat.

\Nithin the shell the extended boxes e e afford enlarged bearings on the shaft, so that undue wearing away of the walls is obviated and entrance offoreign matters at these points prevented. Upon the shaft is aprojection, f, and upon the shell two projections or detents, g g, suitably spaced. These together counteract any tendency of the block to turn too far in either direction upon the shaft.

Two or more perforations, as at h, may be made through the shaft, to drain the notch therein, and any small perforations, as at 11, may be provided at the lowermost part of the cavity in the shell. While the cover is intended to be tight, the above-named perforations constitute an additional security against accumulation of foreign matters within the shell.

The brake-block so constructed has been found to admirably answer thepurpose or object of the invention, as previously set forth." The shoe wears evenly under all circumstances, and consequently seldom requires to be renewed. The parts are simple, easily made and mounted, and are not liable to get out of order. A slight turn or movement of the shaft carries the lower part of the block away from contact with the wheel, and immediately the spring forces the top part away, and a slight turn or movement in the opposite direction is all that is necessary to bring the shoe fairly in contact with the wheel throughout the entire length of the shoe.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-is

1. In a brake-block, the combination, with the shell journaled upon the shaft and the shaft, of a spring located in said shell and covered and arranged to force the top of the shell away from the wheel as soon as the lower part of the shell is carried away from contact therewith by the shaft, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a brake-block, the combination, with the shell and shaft, of the spring mounted and secured at one end upon the inner face of the removable cover and hearing at the other end upon the shaft on which the shell is journaled, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a brake-block, the shaft, the shell, the

interior spring attached at one end to the cover and bearing upon the shaft at the other end, the removable cover, and the removable shoe secured between the projecting walls of the shell, combined and arranged substantially as shown and described.

4:. In a brake-block, the combination, with the shaft, of the shell journaled thereon at or near its central part, and having the two bearings extended upon the interior of the shell, substantially as shown and described.

5. The herein-described brake-block, journaled upon the brakeshaft at or near its central part, and consisting of the shell, the spring, cover, and removable brake shoe, all combined substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the brake -block, the shaft, notched as explained, and the spring secured at one end in the block and bearingat the other end in the notch in the shaft, the block being journaled upon the shaft at or near its central part, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

MORG AN POTTER. Witnesses:

VVILLIAM A. J ONES, v \VILLIAM M. BowKER. 

